Daughter-in-law of a Noble House

Cold Autumn

秋凉 (qiūliáng) - cool autumn days; the cold of autumn

The early autumn heat, which had been oppressive, suddenly changed after a heavy rain during the night. When the second day came, a cool breeze enveloped everything. Wei Tan ordered to return to Yongdu the next day, just as everyone was packing their bags. Suddenly, Gongyang Gui came to bid farewell.

"Gongzi won't return to Yongdu with us?" I asked in astonishment.

Gongyang Gui replied, "Mou has unfinished business in the south, and needs to go elsewhere."

I didn't inquire much about his jiangyang comrades. However, after spending this time together, I've received a lot of help from him. In my heart, I can't help but feel a bit reluctant and say, "Ruochan is still waiting for you in Yongdu."

Gongyang Gui's gaze briefly became stagnant, and after a moment, he said, "I will return, so she doesn't have to worry." With that, he took out a letter from his pocket and said, "Please, pass this on to her for me."

I accepted the letter which had no writing on the cover. I nodded and put it away.

Before Gongyang Gui's departure, Wei Tan learned of his intention to leave and gave him a knife.

"It's made by skilled craftsmen in Qingzhou. You might find it useful on your journey," he said.

Gongyang Gui glanced at the knife, a bitter smile on his face, and self-deprecatingly said, "When you handed over Wu Kun to Jiyuan, I should have taken the opportunity to reclaim my precious sword as well."

Wei Tan smiled and said, "There will be opportunities in the future, One can always reclaim it later." Then, he looked at him and changed the subject, saying, "Zhongping, after returning to Yongdu, consider entering the court."

Gongyang Gui looked slightly surprised for a moment, then gave a meaningful look and said, "The Gongyang family has been loyal for generations. Would Chengxiang give his trust?"

The words were straightforward and sharp, but Wei Tan showed no signs of displeasure as he replied, "In the struggle for power among the warlords, even if Liang Wen were to become the Emperor, he might not necessarily govern better than my father."

Gongyang Gui smiled faintly and said, "That's true. Mou will consider it carefully." He glanced at me, then at Wei Tan, bowed slightly, and said, "Farewell."

"Travel safely," Wei Tan returned the courtesy.

Gongyang Gui hung the bundle over his shoulder and turned to walk toward the door.

"Fujun wishes to invite Gongyang Gongzi to the court?" I asked Wei Tan.

"En," Wei Tan turned back and said, "Although he has a stubborn temper, he is a resourceful person. With proper training, he will become a great talent." He paused for a moment and continued, "Much better than escorting caravans with those jiangyang bandits."

My heart almost skipped a beat. I looked at Wei Tan, but there was no abnormal expression on his face.

"Escort caravans?" I nervously smiled and asked, "How did Fujun know that Gongyang Gongzi is involved in escorting caravans?"

"En?" Wei Tan glanced at me and said, "In the vast Yongdu, which goods entering the city don't go through the city gates? How could the Magistrate of Jingzhao not know?"

"So it is like that," I nodded, but my thoughts raced. Although Yannian Hall used the goods Gongyang Gui escorted, Li Shang had left room for maneuvering. On the surface, the owner of Yannian Hall was Cai Rang, and neither Li Shang nor Li Huan ever made appearances there, not to mention me.

*****

The return journey to Yongdu took longer than expected, with several consecutive autumn rains making the road muddy. There were also a few days when the rain was too heavy, forcing everyone to take shelter and rest at their lodgings along the way.

During the autumn harvest season, Wei Tan made it a point to discuss the harvest with local officials at each stop overnight, and I listened attentively by his side. Despite the setbacks in the Battle of Qiling, the farming activities were not significantly disrupted. The farmland in the military camps lacked enough labor for harvesting, so the court allocated one-tenth of each mu as compensation and gathered refugees and farmers to assist in the harvest. As a result, despite the recent unfavorable events, the people's stability remained, and there were no signs of unrest.

By the time we returned to Yongdu, we had already donned thick clothing due to the cooling weather.

Wei Xian and Wei Lang are both clan brothers, and three months of mourning had not yet passed, so the house was still adorned in white. When we arrived at the mansion, only Wei Zhao and Liang Hui came out to greet us, both dressed in mourning clothes.

"Zhangsao," Wei Zhao greeted me with a bow.

I returned the gesture, saying, "Er Shu." Then, I turned to Liang Hui and bowed, saying, "Gongzhu."

Liang Hui stepped forward to help me up, smiling, and said, "Zhangsao have had a long and arduous journey."

I looked at her and noticed that despite wearing mourning attire, her complexion was rosy, and her skin had a healthy glow. She appeared exactly as she did when I left, without the faint trace of sorrow that had always been present between her brows.

Wei An came over to pay his respects, and Wei Tan inquired Wei Zhao about affairs in the court, as well as asking about Wei Jue.

"Fuqin's recent bout of migraines has recurred, so he is resting in the backyard, while Muqin is in the main hall."

Wei Tan furrowed his brow slightly and nodded in response.

As everyone entered the house, Wei Zhao took Liang Hui's hand, and she looked up at him with a smile. The two of them walked side by side, displaying an affectionate and loving couple's demeanor.

"Watch the threshold," Wei Tan's voice sounded in my ear. I turned back, and he looked composed as he guided me, his arm supporting me.

Guo Furen was in the main hall. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination, but as I entered, her gaze seemed to linger on my abdomen.

"Muqin," Wei Tan stepped forward to pay his respects.

Wei An and I also bowed down.

Guo Furen nodded and her voice sounded somewhat weary, "Everyone has returned." She looked at Wei An, gesturing for him to step forward, and examined him for a moment. She sighed and said, "I heard that you fell into enemy hands, Chengxiang and I were deeply worried. Now that you've returned, Chengxiang and I can finally find peace in our hearts." With that, she gently wiped away a tear with her sleeve.

Wei An seemed somewhat uncertain, casting a quick glance at Wei Tan. After a moment, he said to Madam Guo with a lpw voice, "En… Er is unfilial (for making them worried)."

I glanced at Wei Rong beside me and gave her a knowing look. Wei Rong understood and was about to speak when Liang Hui stepped forward and said soothingly, "Gushi don't be saddened. Si Shu has already returned; isn't this already a great blessing?"

Guo Furen looked at her and let out a soft sigh, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.

Liang Hui continued, "Zhangsao has also returned now; she has endured hardships as well."

Only then Guo Furen looked at me and asked, "Is Shao Furen well?"

I lowered my head and replied, "Er Fu is well."

Guo Furen took my hand, gazing at my abdomen, and smiled, "One heard that Shao Furen is pregnant, Chengxiang is very delighted."

I expressed my remorse, saying, "Er Fu has been careless, causing concern to Jiugu. One feels deeply troubled by it."

Guo Furen smiled gently and said, "Life is unpredictable; Shao Furen don't dwell on it in your heart."

After some small talk, Wei Tan mentioned that he wanted to go see Wei Jue. Guo Furen nodded and said, "Chengxiang has been suffering from severe migraines lately, and he's been restless. I advised him to read some scriptures from the Buddhist temple, and in the past few days, he has shown some improvement."

Wei Tan agreed and, along with me, took his leave.

Before walking out of the main hall, I glanced back slightly. Liang Hui had a gentle expression as she was handing a cup of tea to Guo Furen.

Amidst the autumn chill, the grass and trees in the courtyard had turned yellow, giving the place a desolate appearance.

When the household servant invited us inside, Wei Jue was not resting on a bed. He had a silk handkerchief wrapped around his head and was leaning against a low table.

We approached and paid our respects, and Wei Jue responded with a sound before setting something down.

Despite his illness, he showed no signs of weakness, and his gaze remained sharp and profound.

"You've returned?" he asked, looking at Wei An.

"En," Wei An replied.

Wei Jue waved Wei An forward, patting his shoulder and giving him a push. Wei An took a step back and stopped, and Wei Jue smiled.

"Darker, but you've grown stronger," he said. "Caught by Wu Kun, were you afraid?"

"Not afraid," Wei An replied, then paused. "Because Zhangsao was there."

Wei Jue looked at me, his gaze assessing, and said, "Ah Jin has been through a lot, too. It's been hard on you."

I replied softly, "One has caused Jiugu concern, Er Fu has not been unfilial (for making them worry)."

Wei Jue waved his hand and turned to Wei Tan, asking, "How are the southern provinces?"

Wei Tan replied, "The military and civilians are all in a stable state. I visited more than fifty counties on my way back, and although this year's autumn harvest is not as bountiful as previous years, our granaries are well stocked."

Wei Jue nodded, stroking his beard.

Watching them converse, I felt a slight sense of relief. Based on Wei Jue's attitude toward Wei Tan, it seemed that they had returned to their previous relationship. The disastrous Battle of Qiling had confirmed Wei Tan's earlier warnings, and the sinking of the navy was largely attributed to Wei Zhao's efforts, highlighting his shortcomings. So now, in Wei Jue's eyes, there might be a clearer understanding of which of his two sons was more suitable to inherit the family legacy, right?

The three father-sons continued their conversation for a while, and then some medicinal soup was brought in by a household servant. Wei Tan stepped forward to receive it, but Wei Jue waved his hand and said, "You've all been traveling for a long time; go and rest."

Wei Tan stopped in his tracks and said, "Er take One's leave."

Wei An and I also bowed.

But just as we were about to leave, Wei Jue called Wei Tan back.

"Your Shufu, will come to Yongdu next month," he said.

Wei Tan looked surprised for a moment, then he bowed and said, "Er understands." After that, he left with us.

"Shufu?" When we were outside the door, Wei An asked Wei Tan, "Is it San Shufu from Longxi?"

"En," Wei Tan replied.

I was also surprised.

When I first arrived at the Wei residence, I assumed that Wei Jue's entire family was here, but I had never heard of a so-called 'San Shufu'. I was about to return to the courtyard and ask Wei Tan about it when, before I could even sit down, Wang Hui came to speak with Wei Tan. Wei Tan informed me and then left the room again.

I started to unpack the baggage that was brought back into the room. Not long after, Zhou Shi and Mao Shi came over.

They greeted me and then gathered around to examine my waist.

"It's quite noticeable. Zhangsao is wearing such thick clothes, but we can still see the protrusion," Mao Shi said with a playful smile.

"Of course," Zhou Shi also smiled and asked me, "It's been five months, hasn't it?"

I blushed a bit under their scrutiny and nodded, saying, "Exactly."

"That's wonderful," Mao Shi said. "Zhangsao used to seek blessings and remedies from the gods. I've said that Zhangsao was too anxious. Look, with a little less haste, it happened." She then winked at me and continued, "Zhangsao  might not know, but that Zhang Shi who serves Guo Furen used to be quite talkative, especially when her zhuren favored her. But ever since Zhangsao became pregnant, she hasn't dared to say a word."

Zhou Shi lightly nudged her and gestured towards the door, saying, "Speak more quietly."

I didn't pay too much attention to their earlier comments and instead, I touched my abdomen and asked, "How is Tang Sao doing?"

When Zhu Shi was mentioned, both of them seemed somewhat downcast.

"How could it be good?" Zhou Shi said. "She cries every day, and no matter how much we try to console her, it's of no use."

Mao Shi sighed softly. "Chengxiang is indeed considerate, bestowing titles and sending gold and silver, but what good does it do?"

I nodded slightly and said, "Tomorrow, I'll go visit her."

Zhou Shi also nodded, and after a moment, she suddenly asked me, "Earlier, did Zhangsao happen to see Er Tangxiong and Gongzhu?"

"I did," I replied.

Zhou Shi and Mao Shi exchanged a glance, and Mao Shi asked, "What does Zhangsao think of them as a couple?

"They seem very affectionate," I smiled.

"That's only natural," Zhou Shi said. "Zhangsao might not know this, but ever since Er Tangxiong returned, he has only seen Xu Ji once, on the night he came home."

"Oh?" I was surprised at first, but then I realized the implications. Liang Hui is an Imperial Princess, and it's natural for Wei Zhao to be affectionate towards her as his main wife. However, considering the current circumstances, there's also a certain inevitability to it. In times when Wei Jue might not be in favor, having a connection to the royal family could be advantageous.

I didn't want to pry into Wei Zhao's personal matters, so I smiled and asked Zhou Shi, "That's right, I heard Si Shu mention San Shufu from Longxi during our journey. It's been over a year since I joined the family, but I've never heard about him before. I'm quite curious, and I was just thinking of asking you both."

"San Shufu?" Zhou Shi and Mao Shi both showed surprise, but then they exchanged knowing glances, as if there was more to this than met the eye.

"How come Si Tangshu mentioned him?" Mao Shi asked.

"Yes there is, but Chengxiang has a very strained relationship with him," Zhou Shi said with a meaningful look. "If Zhangsao had been in Longxi, you would know."